2017 SLAM Top 50: Paul George, No. 9

In a new role on a new team, Paul George is in position to reach his lofty goals.

This article was first published in my #SLAMTop50 contribution for SLAMOnline.com on October 4, 2017. Click here to read the original piece.

Four summers ago, I interviewed a 23-year-old Paul George at an NBA carnival in China. It was the ‘NBA Nation’ in Wuhan, a fan-event in the most populous city in central China featuring basketball clinics, Pop-a-Shot games, and the Phoenix Suns Dance Team. The main event, however, was George. Then a rising star for the Indiana Pacers, PG was coming off a breakout 2012-13 season where he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award, became an All Star for the first time, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. But just months before, his magical season had ended in heart-breaking fashion as the Pacers went down to the Heat in a memorable seven-game Eastern Conference Finals.

In going up against the best in the League, George had gotten his first whiff of success, and he sounded confident when he told me that his rise to superstardom was just getting started. “I’m nowhere close to getting what I want to achieve,” he said, reflecting on his NBA journey so far. “But I think I’m taking the right steps and going in the right direction. I can see myself being an MVP in the League. I think, if I’m not in contention for an MVP award, or leading my team to the Championship, then I think I’d be selling myself short as a player. In the near future, I wanna have the MVP award, be on the Olympic team, be a perennial All-Star, hopefully First-Team All-NBA as well.”

But sometimes, even the best laid plans of a super-athletic swingmen can go awry. A year later, George suffered a horrific compound fracture on both bones of his lower right leg during a 2014 FIBA World Cup scrimmage in Las Vegas. The setback virtually cost him an entire season of progress and raised questions if he could ever soar towards greatness again.

It put his ‘Wuhan Checklist’ on hold. MVP award? Nope. Championship? Not close. First Team All NBA? Nah.

But by 2015-16, George bounced back with a bang, playing 81 games and averaging career highs in scoring and assists. Last summer, he fulfilled his wish of playing in the Olympics and helped bring back a Gold medal from Rio. In 2016-17, he continued his rampage and boosted his scoring output to a career-high 23.7 points per game. The ‘perennial All Star’ wish had also been fulfilled. George put up an unstoppable performance in last season’s playoffs with 28 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists over nearly 43 minutes per game. Just like in the old days however, it was that old foe—LeBron James—that proved to be the thorn in PG’s side, and the Cavaliers swept the Pacers in the First Round.

Despite the loss, George’s comeback from the career-threatening leg injury was complete. Even if he doesn’t have quite the athletic hops he did in his younger days, PG has matured into a better scorer and smarter defender.

But with a drastic change of scenery, he will now find himself evolving into an exciting new role: George was traded over the offseason to Oklahoma City to join reigning MVP Russell Westbrook, not long before OKC pulled off another heist and presented Carmelo Anthony to the explosive Thunder mix, too.

He may no longer be the first option, or on many nights, even the second option on offense. But as the ideal two-way player who can be an elite perimeter defender, an offensive threat, and effect the game without the ball in his hands, George could have the Thunder soaring this season. None of that confidence I saw in Wuhan has wavered. George is still gunning for that MVP trophy. With Westbrook and ‘Melo by his side, he has said that the Thunder have the feel “of a championships team.”

Playing in a different NBA jersey for the first time in his career, this isn’t going to be the 2013 “Rising Star” PG, or the 2015 “Hobbled with Injury” PG, or even the 2016-17 “Bounce Back To Scoring Stardom” PG. The OKC version of Paul George will be something we’ve never seen before. Still only 27, we are going to see PG enter his prime years, a superstar in a new role. A man on a mission to complete his checklist.

Basketball Without Barriers – FIBA to finally allow headgear like turban and hijab in the international game

This article was first published in my blog for The Times of India on May 4, 2017. Click here for the original piece.

Three years ago, India’s national basketball team had one of its greatest moments in history. On July 13, 2014, at the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China, India – ranked 53rd in the world – did the unthinkable: they defeated China – Asia’s top-ranked squad – for the first time in over seven decades of international basketball. I was in the stands at the Wuhan Sports Centre Gymnasium, one eye on my computer screen live-blogging this historic game, the other eye staring at the court in disbelief. Soon, the moment went viral and arguably became Indian basketball’s biggest cause for celebration.

But this isn’t a story about that day. This is a story of July 12, just 24-hours prior to making history, when the same Indian team created news in a completely different way, sparked an infamous controversy for the Switzerland-based International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and propelled a crusade that took over three years to resolve.

On July 12, 2014, India’s coach Scott Flemming prepared his team for the first game of the tournament against Japan. Minutes before tip-off however, I noticed that two of India’s most important players – the giant Punjabi duo of Amjyot Singh Gill and Amritpal Singh – were missing from the starting line-up. It turned out that FIBA officials at the game had summoned a controversial policy – the “No Headgear” rule – and withheld the two turbaned Sikh players from entering the game. On the sidelines of a major international basketball contest, Amjyot and Amritpal had to take off their turbans, open their hair, and tie it back together with headbands and rubber-bands. It was awkward moment, Amjyot told me after the game, but for the sake of the team, the two players pleaded to return and play. The team never recovered from the funk and lost by 23 points.

Like most Sikh players, Amjyot and Amritpal had become accustomed to growing their hair long, practicing basketball, and playing in international and domestic games with their turbans. But, according to Article 4.4.2 of FIBA’s Official Basketball Rules, headgear like turbans, hijab, or yarmulkes were considered injurious and banned. Another Indian Sikh player, Anmol Singh, was forced to remove his turban at the FIBA Junior Asian Championship in Qatar a month later. Around the same time, Qatar’s women’s basketball team pulled out of the Asian Games in South Korea because the ban asked them to play without their hijab.

The response to FIBA’s close-minded policy – which considered harmless religious headgear a hazard to the game – raised concern with activists and policy-makers around the world, including protests by top American lawmakers. Soon, FIBA announced their decision to review this policy, and in early 2017, recommended a change in the rule at their annual board meeting.

Good news finally arrived at FIBA’s Mid-Term Congress in Hong Kong this week: the congress of 139 national federations unanimously ratified the board’s decision for a new rule that will now allow players to wear headgear. The rule was developed with caution to minimise risk of injuries and preserve consistency of colour of the teams’ uniforms. It will come into effect from October 1, 2017, which is soon, but not soon enough: the big FIBA Asia tournaments for Women and Men this year will be held in July and August.

This is a smart, progressive step by FIBA. Basketball is not a game that belongs to a single culture anymore. There are star players and new avenues to the game all around the world, and changing this institution will help basketball grow in more communities.

However, there is a poignant afterthought to this story. Let’s return back to Amjyot and Amritpal, back to July 2014, and that championship in Wuhan that thrust India into international news for the wrong and the right reasons. A day after adjusting their hair, the two players ended up being the main difference-makers in India’s win over China. Amjyot led all scorers in the game with 13 while Amritpal played suffocating post defence on China’s top players, including future NBA-draftee Zhou Qi.

But even the thrill of victory couldn’t wipe away the sour taste of this experience. To avoid becoming a distraction for the national team again, both Amjyot and Amritpal cut their hair short a few months later. The two bigs have since continued on their path to success, playing professionally in Japan, participating in an Australian league draft combine, and teaming up to defeat China again last year.

Amjyot and Amritpal will be in the forefront of the queue of a long line of talented Sikh basketball players in India, most of whom have been the product of the same basketball academy in Ludhiana, Punjab. As India prepares for the FIBA Asia Cup this year, names like NBA draftee Satnam Singh, NBA D-League draftee Palpreet Singh, and veteran forward Yadwinder Singh will all be vying for roster spots.

Several other international sports, like football and volleyball were ahead of the curve in allowing acceptable headgear; it took an uphill battle, but basketball – finally – seems to have caught up. In the past, all of the Indian Sikh players mentioned above chose to avoid controversy and cut their hair off for basketball participation. In other parts of the world, women players in hijab and Jewish players have faced similar forks in the road between career and religious practice. Looking forward, talented athletes around the world will hopefully not have to make that decision again.

Hoopdarshan Episode 21: From Bengaluru to Team India with Coach GRL Prasad

For decades, Coach R L Prasad Guntupalli - known popularly as GLR Prasad - has been a popular face in the Indian basketball circles, from club-level competitions in Bengaluru to advising from the bench as Team India defeated China in Wuhan last year. On Episode 21 of Hoopdarshan, Prasad joins hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok to talk being Scott Flemming's assistant for the Men's National team, coaching India to victory at 2015 SABA Qualifiers, and the growing basketball scene in Karnataka. Additionally, Kaushik and Karan talk in great detail about the exciting new NBA season, including the Warriors, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett.

Prasad was the assistant of India's former Head Coach Scott Flemming for two and a half years and is currently coaching the Indian Army team. He regularly works in the school, college, and senior club circuit in Karnataka. In our interview, he discussed Team India's improvement to 8th place the recent FIBA Asia Championship and his hopes for the future of Indian basketball. In the NBA section of our discussion, the Hoopdarshan hosts tackle numerous topics, like rooting for Stephen Curry, our growing Kawhi Leonard mancrushes, the Rockets impatient firing of Kevin McHale, and why Tim Duncan is like a glass of pure Himalayan water.



Hoopdarshan aims to be the true voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Amjyot's Ascent

Amjyot Singh’s rapid journey to become the superstar that Indian basketball desperately needed.

This feature was first published in my column for Ekalavyas on October 14, 2015. Click here to read the original article.

On one end of the court, Amjyot Singh defended the star perimeter player, and when his opponent switched on a pick, moved in to deny a scoring opportunity to a different player in the post. On the other end of the court, the 6-foot-8 forward stretched his slower defender out to the three-point line and bombed away. Through the course of the game, he continued to secure rebounds, assists, and steals as per his team’s need. Late in the game, with the result still hanging in the balance, he trailed on a fastbreak behind teammate Vinay Kaushik, cleaned up Kaushik’s missed lay-up off the glass, and slammed it home, securing the Indian lead and the tournament’s most crucial victory.

When the final buzzer rang, India had squeaked past the higher rated Palestine team 73-70 in the Second Round of the 2015 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship in Changsha (China). Amjyot’s teammates surrounded him in jubilation and supported him back to the locker room, just as he had supported them for the entire game. Amjyot finished with 32 points and 11 rebounds, playing 39 of the total 40 minutes in the game to earn India this surprise win and hand Palestine their first loss in the tournament.

Less than 24 hours later, while most Indians were still being awoken to the kook-ra-koo of the morning rooster or the hollers of the kabari-wallah, Amjyot was in China dominating opponents again, leading India with 26 and 12 to yet another close win over Hong Kong.

The stellar performances on all ends of the court – displaying both his motor and his versatility – would continue for Amjyot throughout the course of the 2015 FIBA ABC, which he finished as India’s leading scorer and the fourth-leading scorer in the tournament (20.9 ppg) and India’s leading rebounder (8.3 rpg) and helped the team finish at 8th place, their best results in 12 years. India lost to the mighty Chinese at the Quarter-Final stage, but Amjyot left Changsha as one of the top performers in Asia.

Hailing from Chandigarh, the 23-year-old Amjyot’s rise in prominence as the best player in Indian national colours has paradoxically been both expected and surprising. Amjyot used to be a cricket player in school, but a shoulder injury kept him out of the game for three months. He watched his father – a basketball player – on the court while injured and his interest for the game grew. Soon, he began to sneak out of his after-school cricket practices to play basketball instead. At 15, he ditched cricket for basketball forever.

He broke into the ranks of India’s youth (under-16) team in 2008, and then became the latest recruit to Ludhiana’s famed Basketball Academy – the same academy which has produced the likes of Yadwinder Singh, Amrit Pal Singh, TJ Sahi, Satnam Singh, Jagdeep Bains, Seema Singh and many more – under the legendary late coach Dr S. Subramanian.

The discovery helped his ascent, but it was not as early as a player of his potential deserved. In most countries with a better youth scouting system, a talent like Amjyot Singh would’ve been ‘discovered’ and moulded at the highest level available from his pre-teens onwards. Amjyot had to wait till was nearly of college age to receive elite-level coaching. His mastery of the game accelerated, but his late bloom also served as a reminder of how much better he could’ve become had he received serious instruction of the game earlier.

At 19, Amjyot was selected by the then-Head Coach Kenny Natt to India’s senior national team for the first time to play in the South Asia qualifiers and the 2011 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship. Amjyot showed great promise for India off the bench, and ever since – even as coaches and teammates changed – he became one of the lynchpins for the national team.

Of course, one can’t speak of Amjyot without speaking of two other Punjabi big men who made the national team debut in 2011 alongside him. Senior national team rookies Amjyot, Amrit Pal Singh, and Satnam Singh – all products of the Ludhiana Basketball Academy – beefed up Kenny Natt’s frontcourt together in an explosion of youth and size that Indian basketball had rarely been blessed with before. Since then, Amrit Pal has been Amjyot’s partner in the national team’s starting frontcourt for the last few years as the two big men dominated at the domestic level, improved at the international level, and headed together to play professionally for the same teams in Japan.

The story of Satnam Singh diverted sharply. Satnam – four years younger and five inches taller than Amjyot – spent much of his later teenage years in High School at the IMG Academy in Florida, USA, where he developed into a solid young player and eventually became the first Indian to be drafted into the NBA earlier this year. Satnam’s focus on High School hoops in the USA and NBA tryouts kept him out of Indian national team duty after 2013. In his absence, Amjyot and Amrit Pal grabbed the reigns in the middle and flourished in the India jersey.

But it wasn’t until 2014 that the legend of Amjyot – and the Indian Men’s team around him – took a sharp turn into higher, uncharted territory. At the FIBA Asia Cup in Wuhan, China, Amjyot and Amrit Pal – both Sikhs who don the customary turbans to cover their long hair – faced the discrimination of FIBA’s “No Headgear” policy in their first game against Japan, leading to a distracted start and a loss. A day later, hair tied by headbands, Amjyot and India – led by Head Coach Scott Flemming – took out their frustrations on hosts China, the finest team in the continent.

Amjyot scored a game-high 13 points to go with five rebounds and was masterful on both ends of the floor against the Chinese bigs to help India upset China – for the first time in history – with a 65-58 win. A highlight of the victory was the clutch alley-oop dunk finished by Amjyot to secure the lead for India in the game’s dying minutes. Amjyot would go on to lead India in points, rebounds, and steals at the tournament and make waves with the local and continental media for his skill and versatility. Even more astonishingly, Amjyot and India earned respect at the FIBA Asia Cup despite having any professional basketball experience.

His work at Wuhan, and later, his domestic and international play at the Asian Games, got Amjyot recruited – along with Amrit Pal – to become the first Indian players chosen for Japanese BJ Summer League in summer of 2015. The two Indian bigs dominated the competition, so much so that they were handed Japanese D-League contracts with the Tokyo Excellence soon after.

By the time he re-joined Team India in preparation for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha, Amjyot had clearly elevated himself into one of the leaders of a national team in flux, along with Amrit Pal and experienced captain Vishesh Bhriguvanshi. India had a new head coach (Sat Prakash Yadav) and were missing five top players who had played a key role in the wonders at Wuhan. Lacking gravely in depth, the big three of Amjyot, Amrit Pal, and Vishesh had to shoulder the heaviest weights in carrying the squad – Amjyot finished the tournament playing a team-high 37 minutes per game, third-most in the competition.

But instead of pressing him down, the heavier load only pulled the rising star higher up. Amjyot always played like a guard blessed with more size than he had expected. He had the game of a swingman and the height to better most Asian forwards.

In Changsha, however, his game elevated to another level; there was fluidity with which he moved, handled the ball, and attacked the basket, a confidence that seemed to have been triggered at the recent realization that few in the continent could now stop him or match-up with the offensive arsenal that he had developed. Amjyot played with a combination of inside and outside, height and speed, strength and agility; the only way to guard him was to be as physically gifted as him.

But it isn’t enough to be only physically gifted: the reason that Amjyot has become one of India’s most prominent male players in recent decades is that he has played with a humility and duty to put team over self. While other prodigious Indian talents – think TJ Sahi or S. Robinson – came up short of their potential, Amjyot seems to be charging rapidly towards his. While many players halted the progress of team development, Amjyot’s rise has come in sync with the rise of Team India. He constantly deflected all the praises we lavished upon him in our Hoopdarshan interview towards his teammates, and speaking to FIBA after his big performance against Palestine, he laughed off his own 32-point, 11-rebound effort by talking about his teammates instead: “They do all the hard work, and I get to score.”

India has had several individual talents in the last few decades, but there have been few whose talents have worked consistently to provide positive results for the nation. As of now, it may not be a stretch to say that he can be the best male basketball player for India since Jayasankar Menon, who was named to the Asian All Star team in the mid-90s and was nominated for an Arjuna Award.

If this was cricket, Amjyot Singh – the best performer for the Indian basketball team and one of the best players in his position in Asia – would've been a household name in India by now. Unfortunately, every other sport in the country takes a major backseat in the eyes of the Indian mainstream after cricket.

The last Indian basketball player to make news across the country was Satnam Singh, on the day he was drafted into the NBA. But Amjyot has done more for the Indian national team, and may be a better overall talent than Satnam right now. Satnam, of course, has an age and size advantage, which will see him start his professional career in the NBA D-League.

Meanwhile Amjyot (and Amrit Pal) will be heading back to Tokyo for the Japanese D-League, but the former’s performances at Changsha have alerted basketball scouts across the globe of his talents and (still untapped) potential. It would not surprise me if offers from other Asian leagues or Europe come calling. And one can never discount the possibility of that dream NBA or NBDL trial, either.

In a short span of time, Amjyot Singh’s ascent into the Asian basketball elite has been marvellous and heartening. It should give hope to other late bloomers of the game as well as encourage coaches (and parents) in India not to waste the early, formative years of potential talents. Meanwhile, the Indian basketball family and fans will hope that Amjyot continues to improve, continues to rise up the ranks of Asia’s best players, and with him, carries India higher up, too.

"We can't play in the FIBA Asia tournament with this little practice" India Women's Head Coach Francisco Garcia interview

A year after bringing success and joy to India's Men's national basketball team, the Chinese city of Wuhan failed to carry on the same stroke of luck for the Indian Women. Earlier this week, Team India returned from the 2015 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship for Women in Wuhan after taking two step backwards. India finished the tournament with six losses in six games, finished at 6th place, and worst of all, lost their place in the Level 1 group at the championship for its next iteration. There were 100 point losses, quarters with only four points for the offensive side, and close losses that could've turned tragedy into triumph.

Two years ago, at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, India had a new Head Coach, the Spaniard Francisco Garcia. Garcia helped lead the team to history, helping India win its first-ever Level 1 game and finished at 5th place. Two years later, Garcia couldn't end his India tenure with the same flourish that he started it. With his contract expiring after the tournament in Wuhan, Garcia returns to Spain disappointed. The project that he began with India couldn't improve on its earlier highs; instead, India's position in Asian Women Basketball - falling to Level 2 - is the worst it has been in a decade.

Starting in Level 1 this year, India faced Asia's four toughest teams - Chinese Taipei, Japan (the eventual champions), hosts China, and Korea - and predictably, lost without much of a fight to each one. Their most realistic chances of victory were against the fifth Level 1 team (Thailand) and their Level 1 playoff game against Philippines, but India lost both of those games as well.

I spoke to Garcia on the morning of his last day in India to review the team's performances in Wuhan and give an honest assessment of the external and internal problems that have plagued the results.

"The tournament was not good at all," Garcia said, "There were many factors that made us not perform well."

The biggest factor, as Garcia has always stressed, is India's practice time and exposure - or lack thereof - before such major tournaments.

"We can't play in the FIBA Asia tournament with this little practice," Garcia said, after the team got only about six weeks of practice time in Bengaluru in preparation for the tournament, "Even Thailand and Philippines started practicing 5 months ago and got international exposure. We lost close games against them because we had so little preparation."

"We cannot go into the championships with the situation in Indian Basketball," he added, referring to the power struggle between two competing executive committees for the Basketball Federation of India, "The girls were totally unfit. Some were overweight. They went 7 months without touching a basketball. In the past we had many camps, but this time, unluckily we didn't get that opportunity. It's not the fault of the Federation, it's just the situation of Indian Basketball right now."

Another problem for India was that, two days before the tournament, they lost their likely starting point guard Kavita Akula. Akula had been applying for a US visa for college, and with the visa process not done in time, she couldn't leave India for China to be the main driving force of the team. Without Akula, veteran captain Anitha Paul Durai - a natural wing player returning the team after a year of maternity leave - had to play point most of the time and share the position with talented-but-inexperienced Bhandavya HM. Neither were able to handle the court's most responsible position against top level talent from across the continent.

"When we had Kavita Akula here at practice, we were playing the most dynamic and fastest I've ever seen them play in India," Garcia said, "We practiced with her as the point guard in whole camp, but two days before leaving to Wuhan, we found out that she could not come. I had no time to adjust the team after her. Anitha played as a PG, but she would get really tired. We put 17-year-old Bhandavya at the spot. She was good but inexperienced. We made general mistakes due to this lack of experience."

This was also India's first FIBA Asia tournament in a decade without Geethu Anna Jose, the Arjuna-Awardee who has been India's greatest-ever player and dominated for India in the center position for many years. "Our inside game was not very good without her," Garcia admitted, "We need somebody over there that is big. We were soft. Our offense was alright, but in defense we were very soft. Our game against the Philippines: we lost it mostly because of our defense."

Sometimes, the difference between making history and returning home as failures can depend on a few late game moments of heroism or mistakes. India's two losses to Thailand and the Philippines could've easily been wins had the team held their composure in certain moments or had the favour or luck.

"The game in Thailand was in our hands in the end," Garcia said of the game India lost 65-63, "We didn't play smart. Anitha missed two free-throws with one second left in the game, and if she had made those, we would've gone to overtime. When we played at the FIBA Asia Women two years ago, we played smart. We knew where to put the ball to hurt the other team. Now, since we didn't have a real PG, I think that turned out to be our main problem. We made stupid turnovers. For me, to have a PG is very important. It's like having a coach on the court. Not having one mattered a lot, especially at the end of games. Of course, in tight games, you must be a little bit lucky also. Two years ago, we were, but this time, luck was not on our side."

"We showed our lack of practice and regularity against the Philippines," Garcia continued, "We would play well for five or six minutes, and then badly for the next five minutes. We started very well against the Philippines, and then, we dissapeared on the defensive end in the second quarter. They had two tall girls [Afril Bernardino and Allena Lim] who were killing us. They kept driving in from the three-point line and our post players could not handle them. Our help defense was late. In the third quarter, I tried to change the pace of the game and tried to control those two girls, but we couldn't stop them. We went back to man-to-man defense, but by then, we were already 15 down. We made a good comeback and played well on both wells to finish this game. Jeena PS played really well for us. Again, with 1:24 left in the game, we were one point down and had possession. But we made silly turnover and lost our chance for a win."

Jeena PS turned out to be India's best offensive threat, eventually leading the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and ending the tournament as the fifth-best scorer in Asia.

"We know that she was to be one of our main threats," Garcia said of the talented forward from Kerala, whose combination of size and speed eludes opponents, "She has a nice shot and is usually guarded by tall players who aren't as fast. In games against Thailand and the Philippines, we were clearly looking for her. She performed really well. She has taken one step ahead in this tournament. The day she starts to play some defense, she can be an international star. She is one of the best prospects we have here, but she must continue working hard."

"There is talent in some of the girls too. Shireen Limaye didn't play well at all but is recovering well from a knee injury and has potential. Poojamol KS was playing ok. When she starts to play defense she's going to be a good player. There are three for four girls - including Kavita Akula and Bhandavya who can have a good future."

For India and for Garcia, there is always a balance in such international tournaments to their approach against Asia's Big Four. The best teams, as Garcia admits, are leaps and bounds ahead of India, and those games are mostly used as practice or tune-up matches for the 'important' - or winnable - games.

"There is a big difference between those four teams and the rest," admitted Garcia, "For some of those games, I rested some of my top players or played them lesser to keep them healthier. The main thing is to not take risks. The goal was to get the girls healthy and less tired for the 'important' matches; I already knew that those teams were not in our league."

"Still, the team I put out on the floor was trying their best. I didn't put the best players to play 35 minutes against them - for me, that's nonsense. I was gonna lose anyways, so it's wasting energy against them, i think. The physical bodies of those girls makes them look like adults and us like kids. Physically, we cannot compete against them."

Before he left India and handed the keys of the Head Coaching job to his yet-unnamed successor, Garcia mapped out his ideas for what the future of India Basketball.

"First of all, the priority is to try and come back to Level 1," he said, "That is the main goal. We should have normal camps. Get back more players that we missed, like Raspreet Sidhu, and some players with more inside presence on the court. And of course, we need a Point Guard. I don't think that the situation we faced this year will happen again. We learnt a lesson this time."

"The team has a bright future. But I'll say the same thing if we are winning or losing: we need exposure. Girls need to compete internationally more. We could not practice more than one camp this time. They need to play more together. India needs to try and create a professional basketball league so these girls are continuously practicing throughout the year. That way, when they come for the national camps, they will be fit and in shape."

Garcia departure from India is on Friday, September 11. By Sunday, he said that he will already begin his new job: the head coach of Spain's Women's Division 2 side Basket Mar Gijon, in his hometown of Gijon.

It has been a topsy-turvy two years for Garcia in India, starting in jubilance at the FIBA Women's ABC, rising and falling and faced with drama (internal and external), and ending at the same tournament with a setback.

But his overall tenure in India will be remembered as a success, both on and off the court. Garcia helped lead the team to memorable performances at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship and the 2014 Lusofonia Games. Off the court, he took great interest at coaching coaches and players at the grassroots level. The end of his era was disturbed by the Indian federation's infighting and turmoil, but they haven't been able to tarnish the positive relationships that he built here over time. Hopefully, he can find more success in his new venture and can make another comeback to Indian basketball sometime in the future!

After Geethu

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India’s Women’s basketball team faces a daunting future without their greatest-ever star, Geethu Anna Jose

This feature was first published in my column for Ekalavyas on August 29, 2015. Click here to read the original article.

At 19, by the time she first donned the India jersey for the senior national team, Geethu Anna Jose – born and (mostly) bred in Kerala – was already a rising star. Standing 6-foot-2, Geethu would automatically become the center of attention anytime she took the floor. Teammates looked to her in awe and opponents in fear. She was shy and soft-spoken off the court, but on it, she turned into a fierce competitor whose game spoke much louder than words.

When Geethu was first selected to represent Team India at the 2004 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship (ABC) for Women – the highest level of competition that India’s teams participate in – the country was facing a continued lull in their international performances. India hadn’t finished in the top six (Level 1) stage of the biennial championship since 1992. They were in desperate need of inspiration and leadership.

In Geethu – and the generation of young players who joined the game around the same time as her – they found the perfect anchor to build around. Little would she know that, a decade later, her tall frame would overshadow and dominate Indian basketball like none before.

Over the next ten years, Geethu achieved as much as any player – male or female – in Indian basketball history, and then some. She became a regular for India at the FIBA ABCs, playing a major role for India every time they set off to face the continent’s best. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia, she finished as the basketball tournament’s MVP, leading scorer, leading rebounder, and leading shot-blocker. In 2009, Chennai hosted the FIBA ABC, and Geethu was named India’s captain. Making the most of the home court inspiration, she helped India return to Level 1 with a sixth-place finish and ended as the tournament’s top scorer. She has played for India at the Asian Games, the Stankovic Cup, and helped the country achieve excellent results in the 3×3 version of the game, even winning the gold medal at the FIBA Asia 3×3 Basketball Championship in Qatar.

Back home, at every domestic tournament, there was Geethu and then there was everyone else. From 2004-05 onwards, Geethu helped make the Indian Railways team into an unstoppable machine, winning the Senior National championship for nine consecutive years until 2013.

Eventually, she gained international success unlike any Indian player, too. Geethu became the first Indian player to play professionally in Australia, representing the Ringwood Hawks for a few years, where she won MVP of the Big V division and was selected by the WNBL. In 2011, she made history by receiving invitations to tryout for three WNBA teams: the Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, and San Antonio Silver Stars. She and her Indian Railways teammate Anitha Paul Durai also played a season professionally in Thailand.

Last year, Geethu received one of the highest honours given to Indian sports-persons – the Arjuna Award – for her services and contribution to Indian basketball. It was the culmination of a career of hard work and excellence.

But to many, it seemed like the concluding exclamation to the career itself. After being part of India’s 2013 FIBA ABC team – the squad who finished at a best-ever fifth-place in Thailand – Geethu took some time off the game to focus on her personal life. Since then, the 30-year-old has been married and become a mother. While basketball hasn’t completely disappeared from her periphery, it does seem to be fading further and further into the horizon.

Now, for the first time in over a decade, the post-Geethu era begins for Team India. Coached by the Spaniard Francisco Garcia, the new 12-member squad heads to the 2015 FIBA ABC. The tournament is set to be held in Wuhan (China) from August 29 to September 5 and Garcia faces the unenviable task of leading a team with limited practice, limited international exposure, and without Geethu, who was the pillar keeping the Indian flag waving high for years.

When I contacted her about watching the team set out to this big challenge in her absence, Geethu seemed to be sceptical – but eventually optimistic – of the girls’ chances.

“We need to wait and watch,” Geethu said, “But personally, I want them to do well. I always believe and tell my teammates that dependency on any one player is not the right thing for the game.”

“There are many players who have the capability to rise to that level,” she said on the question of who can be the next star for India after her, “But what I have seen recently is that many players aren’t pursuing their dreams, and instead are fading away into personal commitments. They are leaving their game at sea. It takes tremendous sacrifices with perseverance, commitment and hard-work to mould yourself to be the best of the best players.”

Geethu’s absence will create two major voids for India: in leadership and in size. But every crisis presents an opportunity. Coach Garcia will be hoping that the baton is smoothly passed on to Anitha Paul Durai as India’s new leader on the court, and a rush of other younger talents can develop their own games to rise without Jose’s presence inside.

The Coach: Francisco Garcia

Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas

“We have to substitute [Geethu] especially in defence by trying to front the post players and playing as physically as we can,” Garcia said, “Obviously, we cannot play the same way; in Bangkok, we were playing with a lot of options for her in the inside game, but right now, we don’t have that option. So, we have to play many pick-and-roll options, penetrations, and kicking to the outside players.”

“I think she was, together with Anitha, the main players in India. She was dominating in India and FIBA Asia Championships. If you ask teams outside of India who are the most popular players, they will say Geethu. For us it’s a big loss. We don’t have a substitute for her right now. But, we have to try to substitute her loss with other things.”

“Right now, one the most important players that we have is Kavita Akula. Of course Anitha is bringing experience for the team, but she was out of the game for a year. You can feel on the court that she is not in the best shape. And Jeena PS and Shireen Limaye are probably the next one who are on the ‘good’ level.”

I spoke to a trio of players expected to be India’s flag-bearers in Wuhan – Anitha Paul Durai, Shireen Limaye, and Jeena PS – on their expectations for the FIBA Women’s ABC.

The Veteran: Anitha Paul Durai

Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas

If Geethu is the Alpha, Anitha is Omega. The Chennai-born wing player has played by Geethu’s side for Indian Railways, professionally in Thailand, and for the Indian national team for a decade. Like Geethu, Anitha also took a short exile from the game for family reasons. A little over a year after giving birth to her first child, she returns to action for India as the current team’s most-experienced and accomplished player.

“Geethu and I played together from 2004 to 2013,” Anitha said, “We have had good understanding between each other. She is so strong in the center; in past ABCs, when our team would be down, she would look at me and I would gain confidence from her eyes!”

“Going into this tournament, we’ve only had 40 days of camp, and it’s not enough. But still, we are working hard to maintain our fifth position in Asia. I am the only senior and more experienced player, so I have to be very much responsible for my team, so they can give a better performance and keep working hard.”

“This is going to be our first ABC in many years without Geethu. I am really proud of myself that I was able to return to Team India after my delivery and play at the ABC. The team is good. Our junior players are strong, the only thing lacking is the experience, which Geethu had. For now, I am very happy that my juniors are hearing my words and cooperating with me on court.”

The All Rounder: Shireen Limaye

Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas

Still only 20, Pune’s Shireen Limaye has already been an integral part of Team India for about five years, peaking as a young prodigy and eventually making a steady place for herself in the senior team. Limaye is an all-round talent capable of dominating on all ends of the floor. She is attempting a comeback to the team at the ABC after a major knee injury.

“Geethu of course has probably meant the most to this team,” Limaye said, “Geethu and Anitha have played a very pivotal role for India’s Women’s team over the years. A post player like Geethu will be missed in this tournament by us.”

“My responsibilities right now are to help the team with rebounding and assists, and score important points in the big moments. I need to bridge the gap between our young team and Geethu.”

“I’m confident about the team and that we will perform as per expectations. The team is playing well together. We had a good preparatory camp but it was of very short duration. We will be giving our best shot to retain our position. I am sure Coach Garcia will help us to perform at our 100 percent and deliver positive results.”

The Heir: Jeena PS

Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas

Hailing from Geethu Anna Jose’s home-state of Kerala, Jeena Scaria PS is in many ways the heir to the throne and one of the future stars of Indian basketball. With experience in several major international tournaments, the 21-year-old has already turned future potential into present dominance. Without Geethu in the lineup, there will be greater pressure on Jeena to take a bigger role in the team.

“Everyone knows that Geethu is a superb player. She was the pillar of the Indian team for the last few years. She was awesome in defence as well as in offense, and she used to help the other four players on both ends. Whenever she was on court, everyone would feel confident. She led the team in rebounds, scoring, and helped the most on defence. She used to teach me too about my awareness and movement on both ends. I am sure that we will miss her on the court.”

“This time we have a young team, but we have Anitha who is well experienced and has represented India many times. Our other forwards like Shireen, Poojamol KS, Anjana PG, and Sitamani Tudu are also good: both in their outside shooting range and in penetrating inside, too. Our post players: Rajapriyadarshini, Stephy Nixon, Smruthi Radhakrishnan, and Apporva Muralinath will be trying their best to compensate Geethu’s absence. Ball handlers Kavita Akula and Bhandavya HM are leading the team perfectly. Our coaches are doing a good job guiding our team. I’m not gonna say that we will win the title, but still, I am sure that we will work hard and play tough. We hope we can stay in the upper pool.”

The Legend: Geethu Anna Jose

While the rest of the women take the court bravely this week to prove that they are capable of carrying India without Geethu, the legend herself hasn’t yet completely shut the door on a comeback to the game.

“Basketball is a passion to me, closely knitted to my heart,” Geethu said, “For any woman it takes good effort to come back to active sport after giving birth. But in recent times many players such as my good friend and colleague Anitha Paul Durai proved that with a set goal in mind, you can indeed return to active sport within few months of delivery.”

“I do believe that I have some more years which I can offer to my country and the game.”

For 10 years, Geethu helped Team India aim higher and stand with their heads up high against every competition. In the long term, she may yet return to boost the team again; but for now, India’s biggest question will be how they can rise even higher without her.

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Japan win 2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship again; winless India fall to Level 2

Two years after rising above all challengers to rise as the finest women's basketball team in the continent, Japan have done it again. Japan retained their title at the 2015 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship for Women on Saturday, September 5th, finishing the eight-day long tournament with a convincing win over hosts and rivals China 85-50 in the final at Wuhan. It was Japan's third gold medal at the tournament, which held its overall 26th iteration over the past week.

While the Japanese celebrated their triumph, the Indian contingent - a young, rebuilding squad - returned home disappointed, taking several steps back after their historic performance at this same tournament two years ago. Playing in the higher Level 1, India lost all five of their Preliminary Stage game to end the tournament at sixth place. They then lost a Level 1 playoff as well and fell to Level 2 for the 2017 FIBA Women's ABC.

Tipping off on August 29, the tournament in Wuhan turned out to be an all out showcase of Japan's strength and dominance over the rest of Asia, including the formidable Chinese. The clash in the final saw Japan attempt to silence a home crowd in their quest for a repeat victory at the championship. They did just that, and in style. Determined to close out the game early, Japan outscored the hosts by double digits in each of the first three quarters of the game, essentially turning the contest into a blowout victory before the start of the final period. Japan's star of the night was Sanae Motokawa, who led the way with a game-high 24 points in the win. Ramu Tokashiki added 18 points and 7 rebounds to Japan's cause. None of China's players were able to crack double digits in scoring.

Tokashiki was named MVP of the tournament.

Earlier in the day, Korea defeated Chinese Taipei 52-45 in a more competitive game for third place. It was a close, defensive affair. Korea led 27-21 at halftime, and held on to their lead in the end for the win. Both teams only combined for 15 points in the final period.

Japan were given a tougher challenge a day earlier, in the Semi-Final stage, by Chinese Taipei. A 12-point first quarter Japan lead was cut down to 1 by halftime, and Chinese Taipei then proceeded to outplay Japan in the third to set up a crucial, deciding final period. It was here that Japan showed their strength again to bounce back and notch a 65-58 win. Taipei's Hsi-Le Bao put up a valiant effort in the losing cause with 18 points and nine rebounds. Later that day, China also stamped their place in the final by defeating Korea with ease. China's fast start had them up by 13 by the end of the first period, and they kept the pressure on until the final period, when finally, Korea notched a mini-comeback to make the final score - 60-45 - a little more respectable.

By winning the championship, Japan automatically qualified for the basketball tournament at the Rio Olympics in 2016. China (second) and Korea (third) booked their place in the Olympic qualification tournament.

As usual, it was Asia's Big Four of Japan, China, Korea, and Chinese Taipei that finished with the four best records in Level 1. India and Thailand were the other two teams filling up the six spots

Team India - coached by Francisco Garcia and captained by Anitha Paul Durai - were looking to build on their historic momentum at this tournament in Bangkok two years ago, when they won their first-ever Level 1 game and finished at a best-ever fifth place. Unfortunately, the team lacked experience and ample time to prepare for this big tournament before setting out for Wuhan. Back home, the political drama plaguing the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) would have been unsettling several of the coaches and players, too. Of course, the team was also heading out to battle Asia's best without their talisman superstar and Arjuna Awardee Geethu Anna Jose, who had been Indian basketball's finest player for the past decade.

Playing against Level 1 teams was always going to be challenging for India, but they started off fearlessly against Chinese Taipei. Although India trailed at halftime of the first game by 12, there were some signs of confidence. Unfortunately, India's wary defense gave way for a scoring barrage for Taipei in the second half led by Yu-Chun Wei (20), and the Taiwanese squad eventually went on to win 92-61. India's best performer was youngster Poojamol KS, who led the way for her side with 17.

Things got ugly for India against eventual champs Japan in Game 2, one of the worst losses for the Senior Women's team in recent memory. Japan raced out to a 32-9 lead in the first quarter and had outclassed India on both sides of the floor to sit at a 63-21 advantage by halftime. India were outscored 25-6 in the third quarter, and in an especially devastating fourth period, India scored just four points while gave up 43 to the rampant Japanese. The final score read 131-31 in Japan's favour. Japan's trip of Mio Shinozaki (25), Mika Kurihara (19), and Al Mitani (16) rained in from all angles to aid Japan's win.

India played hosts China in Game 3, and faced similar humiliation, losing in their third consecutive blowout in three days. Led by 18 points and 12 rebounds by Song Gao, China's unstoppable attack deflated India's hopes early in the game and kept their command till the end. China outscored India 29-4 in the first quarter and led by 32 at halftime. India didn't manage to put up much of a fight after the halftime break and lost the game 102-39.

India's lone chance of Level 1 redemption was against Thailand, a game that Coach Garcia had earlier said would be what all the other games had been in preparation for. Unfortunately, India's slow start undid their game-plan early. Thailand took a 21-14 lead in the first quarter, and India were left playing catch-up thereafter. India did a good job of closing the deficit to four by halftime and tying scores before the final period, however. The game headed to an exciting conclusion, but it was Thailand who struck last, scoring a go-ahead layup with 16 seconds left in the game and surviving to win 65-63. Naphat Kruatiwa scored 21 for Thailand and Thidaporn Maihom added 19. India's best player of the night was Jeena PS, who led her team's attack with 21.

India were back to blowout losing ways in their final Preliminary Round game against Korea. The defense failed India again, as they led in 38 points while only scoring 13 in return in the first period. Korea led 67-20 by halftime and reached the 100-point early in the fourth quarter. On the backs of Danbi Kim (20) and Ji Su Park (19), Korea won the contest 121-44.

Confirmed to finish sixth in the tournament, India's final game in Wuhan was a Level 1 playoff against Level 2 winners, Philippines. In a fight to keep their higher group spot, India bucked the trend and started off the game much better the opponents, leading 22-16 at the end of the first quarter. But India couldn't keep up the pressure, eventually handing Philippines a two point lead before halftime, which stretched out to 12 before the start of the final period. India woke up to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, but Philippines held on to close the game well and win 82-76. Afril Bernardino's 32 points sealed the deal for the Filipinos, while Allana Lim added 20. Jeena PS scored a personal tournament-high 28 points to go with six rebounds for India, while captain Anitha Paul Durai added 19. The loss for India meant that the Philippines will now replace India in Level 1 for the 2017 iteration of the tournament.

India finished the 2015 FIBA Women's ABC with a 0-6 record in sixth place and fell to Level 2 of the championship.

Before the tournament, Coach Garcia had bemoaned India's unfortunate lack of time in camp in preparation, and the team's faults showed clearly on both sides of the court in the big losses to the higher-seeded Level 1 teams. The loss of Geethu Anna Jose as the leader in the middle also didn't help India; her presence alone would have been enough to cause tactical headaches to Thailand and the Philippines. Against the latter two teams, India's played well but their fate was decided by the smallest of margins. The right bounce here or there, or the right attitude in clutch moments for India, would've seen the women return home much happier. Instead, they have taken a couple of steps back after taking one step forward in 2013.

One of the positives for India was the performance of Jeena PS, the Keralalite seen as the heir to her state's greatest product, Jose. Jeena led India with 14.3 points per game, which was fifth-best of all players in the tournament. She was also India's leader in rebounds (5.8).

The conclusion of the tournament leaves India with many more questions for the future. Coach Garcia's contract comes to an end now and he will return to Spain. There is still no confirmation whether or not he will return to India to coach again. Jose's future return for the team is in doubt, and current captain Paul Durai isn't getting any younger. One of the player's who was supposed to be India's future leaders - Shireen Limaye - had a disappointing tournament after return from her knee injury. The trio of Jeena PS, Poojamol KS, and Bhandavya HM will have to carry the mantle forward for the Indian Women's team in the future.

Final Standings

• 1. Japan
  
• 2. China
  
• 3. Korea
  
• 4. Chinese Taipei
  
• 5. Thailand
  

All Tournament Team

• Ramu Tokashiki (Japan) - MVP
  
• Asami Yoshida (Japan)
  
• Danbi Kim (Korea)
  
• Shao Ting (China)
  
• Sun Mengran (China)
  

Team India heads to Wuhan for 2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship - Roster, schedule, & preview

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For the Chinese, Wuhan is the capital of the Hubei province and the most populous city in central China. For the Indians, especially those sprinkled with flavours of hoops, the city has stood for some positive fortune in recent years. In 2011, Wuhan hosted the FIBA Asia Baksetball Championship, where 15-year-old Satnam Singh made his Senior ABC debut, four years before becoming the first Indian drafted to the NBA. Last year, in the FIBA Asia Cup at Wuhan, India's men's team gained their biggest victory ever, defeating hosts China in a game that I have since dubbed the 'Wonder of Wuhan'.

Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas / BFI

Starting this weekend, India will be hoping that their strange basketball kinship with this city extends to the Women's side as well.

India's Senior Women's Basketball team has departed for China to take part in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship for Women (FIBA Women's ABC), set to be held in Wuhan from August 29 to September 5. Japan will return as the tournament's reigning champions and look to defend their trophy. A total of 12 teams will take part in the competition, divided into two 'Levels' of six teams each.

Two years ago, at the 2013 FIBA Women's ABC, India made history under Spanish Coach Francisco Garcia, by winning their first-ever Level 1 game and finishing at a best-ever fifth place. Garcia has returned as the Women's team coach with a younger squad this year for Wuhan with hopes to retain their position in the top level, where they will play against Asia's Big Four (Japan, Korea, China, Chinese Taipei) and Thailand. Teams that finish in the top four of Level 1 advance to the semi-final stage while 5th and 6th place teams compete in playoff games against the top two teams of Level II to fight for their top level placement for the tournament's next iteration in two years.

"I would be very happy if we can keep the spot in Level 1," Garcia told the Hoopdarshan podcast, "Doesn't matter if it's the fifth or sixth position. I would be really really happy with number five, but the main goal is to keep the spot in Level 1. Right now, we know the situation with Indian Basketball. Here, the situation is not very clear yet, and it effects everything. It effects players, it effects coaches, the work, everything. And then, of course, the preparation was not the best. Four and a half weeks, compared to teams who are already working since three or four months ago. But anyways, we are going to go over there and I'm pretty sure that we will have a good result. We are working well. My only fear right now is the conditioning - not the basketball. The girls know my system more or less very well."

The participating teams in the tournament are:

• Level I: Japan, Korea, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Thailand.
  
• Level II: Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Philippines, North Korea, Sri Lanka.
  

Team India Roster for 2015 FIBA Asia Championship for Women

• Anjana PG
  
• Stephy Nixon
  
• Poojamol KS
  
• Smruthi Radhakrishnan
  
• Kavita Akula
  
• Jenna PS
  
• Shireen Limaye
  
• Bhandavya HM
  
• Apporva Muralinath
  
• Rajapriyadarshani Rajaganapathi
  
• Anitha Paul Durai
  
• Sitamani Tudu
  
• Head Coach: Francisco Garcia
  
• Assistan Coach: Aparna Ghosh
  

Team India's Preliminary Round Schedule - all timings IST

• Aug 29 - 12:30 PM - Chinese Taipei vs. India.
  
• Aug 30 - 3 PM - Japan vs. India.
  
• Aug 31 - 5 PM - China vs. India.
  
• Sep 1 - 12:30 PM - India vs. Thailand.
  
• Sep 2 - 12:30 PM - India vs. Korea.
  

Air Asia is sponsoring the Indian team’s participation at the event. Basketball Federation of India (BFI) President K Govindaraj distributed the team kits and thanked Mittu Chandilya, AIR Asia MD and CEO for his support to India Basketball. Addressing the players, Govindraj said, "We all have put in a lot of effort in the training camp. Now it is up to you to bring laurels to the country. I wish all the players, coaches and manager all the best."

"We want to promote sports the right way," said Chandilya, "Basketball in India is at the time when it needs help and is full of opportunity, especially now that there is an Indian in the NBA. The sponsorship is not just for the women’s team but for all teams."

Leading the team is seven-time Asian Championship player Anitha Paul Durai, who successfully regained match fitness after missing out most of last year due to motherhood. Paul Durai had first joined the senior national team way back in 2001 at the age of 15. "I have captained the side in 2005 and then in the 2012 Asian Beach Games where we won gold." said Paul Durai. "This time everyone is junior than me but the positive is that everyone will listen to me. Our goal is to maintain 5th position by beating Thailand."

Other familiar names include Kerala forwards Jeena PS, Poojamol KS, Smruthi Radhakrishnan (who plays for Railways) and Stephy Nixon. Young Maharashtra forward Shireen Limaye marks her comeback from injury and will be expected, along with Paul Durai, to provide much-needed play-making abilities to the side.

"Since some of the senior players such as Prashanti Singh, Geethu Anna Jose and Raspreet Sidhu are missing there is definitely more pressure on me," said Limaye. "Last time around I was the sixth player. Now I will be playing from the start, so it will be harder but I enjoy the additional responsibility."

While the team is confident of their abilities, the Head Coach has been cautious and realistic to temper expectations after a short build-up to the tournament and the relative inexperience of the team. Still, Indian fans will be hoping that at the very least India can remain in Level I, ideally finish at fifth place, and if another wonder can be possible in Wuhan, perhaps sneak into the semi-final for the first time ever!

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Hoopdarshan Episode 15: India at the FIBA Asia Championship for Women with Head Coach Francisco Garcia‏

Photo Courtesy: Ekalavyas / BFI

As we countdown the days to the 2015 FIBA Asia Basketball Championship for Women in Wuhan (China), hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok of the Hoopdarshan podcast couldn't find better company than the Head Coach of Team India himself, Francisco Garcia. Two years after he guided India to a best-ever fifth-place finish, Garcia gives us a detailed preview of what the Indian attack will look like at Wuhan, his expectations of the team's rising new stars, and his 2nd India Bucket List before he returns home to Spain.

Garcia, who was a guest on Hoopdarshan on Episode 5 a few months ago, returns to our podcast in an episode filled with both intelligent insight and some pointless banter. Garcia touches on several more topics with us, including without the services of the legendary Geethu Anna Jose, the team's preparation for their upcoming Asian opponents, and potentially trying re gan mian in Wuhan.



Hoopdarshan aims to be the true voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

Francisco Garcia returns to coach India's Women's Basketball Team - Interview

Less than a few weeks after officially ending his contract with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), Spanish Coach Francisco Garcia is returning to the country, hired once again to lead India's Senior Women's Basketball team to the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship for Women, set to be held in Wuhan (China) from August 29 to September 5. Garcia, who helped India make history by finishing at a best-ever fifth place at the 2013 FIBA Women's ABC, will be heading straight to Bengaluru to oversee the national basketball camp and prepare the team for the upcoming championship this year.

"I'm really happy," Garcia told me when he confirmed his decision to return to India, "I wasn't prepared for this. But when [the BFI] contacted me again, I was excited to come back. I had other offers, but I wanted most to come back to India for the upcoming tournament."

Photo courtesy: Ekalavyas.com

Garcia is waiting for his visa process to clear up and expects to be in India sometime early next week. The Spaniard was initially hired by the BFI two years ago to helm India's Senior Women's team. He enjoyed a relatively successful two year stretch, famously helping India finish at a best-ever fifth-place at the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship and helping a younger side to a bronze medal at the 2014 Lusofonia Games. Later in 2014, Garcia also coached the team to a 6th place finish at the Asian Games in Incheon. He has been active in taking his knowledge to the grassroots level, coaching players and other coaches at various events around the country over the last few years. Before coming to India, Garcia had 20 years of coaching experience in Spain, Denmark, and Finland.

Because of political infighting between warring factions of the BFI, a lot of contractual obligations and relationships within Indian basketball suffered a strain or were put on gold. Part of the ramifications of this was that the contracts of India's foreign coaches - including Garcia and Strength and Conditioning coach Tommy Heffelfinger - weren't renewed at the end of May. The BFI dust cleared up a little bit as the faction led by K Govindraj eventually gained a legal stronghold over BFI operations. 'Team Govindraj' made it a priority to then bring Garcia back into the fold.

Bringing Garcia back saves the BFI from the headache of finding a new head coach at the last hour, and the headache for the new coach to implement a whole new system before India's biggest international challenge. "I think most of the girls were very happy about the news, and I heard many of them were pushing for me to return!" Garcia said, "It would have been tough for a new coach to understand the culture and system in time for the FIBA ABC."

25 of India's best available women players are being invited for the national coaching camp at the Sri Kantaveera Stadium in Bengaluru. Garcia will have enough time to reacquaint himself with the top players and cut down the probables list to 15 after the first week of camp, and then to the final 12 for the last few weeks before the team heads out to Wuhan.

Arjuna Award winner Geethu Anna Jose, who has been India's best player for more than a decade, will not be a part of the probables for this tournament, as she is taking time off of the game after the birth of her first child. However, Garcia is looking forward to welcome back India's star forward Anitha Paul Durai back to the lineup and is also hoping that Maharashtra's Shireen Limaye is back to full health and ready to contribute to the team.

"Missing Geethu is our most important gap from the team we had in recent years," Garcia said, "But most of the other players should be back. Anitha is back. And we'll test Shireen Limaye's knee. Anitha and Shireen are two of the most important players. They play the most minutes for me and should make us much stronger if they are conditioned and in shape."

Garcia, who has lamented in the past about India's lack of preparation games before huge tournaments such as this one, is hoping that an exposure trip works out this year before the FIBA ABC's begin. According to him, the team is making tentative plans to play in South China at the NBA Academy or with other Chinese professional clubs before the tournament begins. "I hope it is not the same experience as last time," he said, conjuring the memory of showing up at the Asian Games in Incheon last year with no practice matches before India's first game at the tournament.

India will be in Level 1 of the FIBA Women's ABC this year again, after Garcia led the team to their first-ever Level 1 win against Kazakhstan at the 2013 FIBA Women's ABC in Bangkok. India then defeated Malaysia in the Level 1 qualifying game and finished at best-ever fifth place at the tournament. In 2015, the Level 1 teams that India will face will include the 'Big Four' of Asian Women's basketball: Reigning champs Japan, hosts China, Asian Games champs South Korea, and Chinese Taipei. India and Thailand will round up the six team group. India will have to finish in the top four for the first time in history to have a shot at the semi-final stage. To stay in Level 1, they will have to make sure to defeat the Level 1 qualifying round matchup against the top or second seeded teams from Level 2.

The coach remains cautious of the team's chances. "It's tough," Garcia said, "This is not the same team as it was two years ago, when we had Geethu. Now we have a different group. I think we can beat Thailand, but the top four teams are on another basketball galaxy! Even to keep the Level 1 spot this year will be very tough. Lebanon is back after their ban two years ago, and we are likely to face them or Kazakhstan - both tough teams - in the qualifying round games. We will fight to the end."

"Our goal is to stay in Level 1."

The challenge now will be to help this team perform to its very best without the centerpiece - Geethu Anna Jose - in the middle.

"I hope that Anitha can be a our veteran player and the coach on the court for this team," Garcia said on coping without Geethu, "I am also hoping for a big step forward from the likes of Jeena PS, Kavita Akula, and Shireen, if she's healthy. I think all our young players have to take a step forward."

While he now focuses all his attentions to the camp in Bengaluru and the tournament in Wuhan, Garcia's future with Indian basketball after the FIBA Women's ABC remains unclear. "I have options in Spain and some other countries, but I don't know yet," he said, "I don't know if I will stay in India after this. I'll go day by day to see what happens and discuss it when the time is right."

"I India, we have a very attractive opportunity," Garcia added, "Especially for me, because I like to work with youth women players and help them to their highest level. Basketball in India is a good place for that."

Welcome back, Coach. Hopefully the short break in the relationship between Garcia, the federation, and the players wasn't too severe so that regular basketball operations can return to smooth running as soon as possible. The main task ahead is a good performance at the FIBA Asia Championship. Garcia may not have his usual best player this time around, but he will have a chance to oversee the development of a lot of exciting young talents. Two years ago, he helped India make history at the FIBA ABC; can the comeback coach do one better this time around?